Business First Issue2 Vol5 CH10:Layout 1 23/10/2009 14:54 Page 60
Resting at the foot of the mountain
Gavin Walker visits the recently refurbished and extended Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle
W
hen the Belfast and County Down Railway opened the Slieve lunch although they also serve evening meals with the kitchen open until
Donard Hotel – after an investment of £44,000 – as an 'end of line' 9.45pm.
luxury holiday destination in 1898, they had little idea of what their Likewise the Lighthouse Lounge, situated beside the Spa and with
jewel of a property might become over one hundred years hence. magnificent views over the bay towards the mountains, provides a lighter
In 1898 guests arrived in Belfast and County Down Railway carriages and fare with a range of healthy cuisine and the famous Slieve Donard
considered a quick dip in the Irish Sea as a medicinal treat. We arrived in a Afternoon Tea. The Lounge is open daily until 10pm.
more independent fashion and the treat in store for us lay in the luxurious However, to take full advantage of the wonderful Victorian atmosphere
Spa which commands spectacular panoramic views of the Mournes and that pervades the property, the Oak Restaurant provides the ultimate
provided a perfect oasis of tranquillity – even with the children for experience in culinary delights. Using only the finest local Irish produce this
company. grand dining room with its oak panelling and fabulous central fireplace is
But the impact of the major development, extension and refurbishment bursting with character and charm.
of the hotel which came in at an amazing £15 million – the very thought of Our choices for dinner – ranging from a hearty homemade soup to start
which would have made the original developers eyes water – starts long to soft melt-in-your-mouth chocolate sponge to finish – were exemplary.
before you slide into the swimming pool, don the leotard for the Zen Studio And as this is also the room where we enjoyed a sumptuous buffet
or place yourself willingly into the hands of the expert masseuse in the breakfast, it became one of our favourites within the hotel!
Ayurvedic or one of the other wonderful treatment rooms. Instead it begins
at the door with the impressive new marble reception area, the dedicated
Although we were enjoying the hotel as a family, I took time to have a
concierge desk and the lounges and cosy bars with welcoming roaring fires.
look around the conference facilities to see what was on offer. Again the
investment is obvious as the rooms – which include the Grand Ballroom
And when you get as far as your room, you'll see that every penny was accommodating up to 850 people and the largest of its kind in Northern
one well spent. The new development, which includes additional Ireland – are flexible and provide all of the modern audio-visual tech a
bedrooms, now provides guests a choice of the original rooms (Classic) and modern meeting planner demands. And with the Mournes and beach at
new rooms (Resort). None will win prizes as the largest bedrooms in Ireland, the hotel's front door, I imagine this would be a super location for team
but all 178 rooms are finished in tasteful, traditional styles with every building and corporate challenge days as well.
modern comfort, and most enjoy magnificent views of the stunning
coastline or mountains.
As we took our leave of the hotel enjoying the views of both mountain
and sea as we left, we were relaxed and ready to face the the challenges of
the coming week. The hotel might well be used to catering to the demands
of some of its better known guests including Charlie Chaplin (after whom
the Chaplin bar is named) Eamonn Holmes, Archbishop Tutu, Michael
Jordan, Tiger Woods and Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, but
the staff and management have not compromised their service to the all-
important regular punters like myself who is made to feel equally as special
– even if just for a short while.
For more information visit the website www.hastingshotels.com
And then to dinner
With a hard day's 'spaing', 18 holes completed on the neighbouring Royal
Country Down Golf Course or a few vertical miles in the Mournes under
your belt, it comes time to dine. There are a number of options to take
advantage of within the hotel complex. The Percy French Inn is an
atmospheric pub-style bistro passed at the gate as you enter the hotels' six
acre estate. It's a popular if informal venue maybe better suited for a pub
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